Matcha Sugar Cookies with Lavender (Printable)
Delicate matcha sugar cookies with fragrant lavender buttercream topping for elegant teatime entertaining.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Matcha Sugar Cookies
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon culinary-grade matcha powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ For the Lavender Frosting
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 tablespoons milk
12 - 1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds, finely ground plus extra for garnish
13 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Purple gel food coloring (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, matcha powder, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
06 - Scoop tablespoon-size portions of dough and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
07 - Gently flatten each dough ball with your palm or the bottom of a glass to create even cookie rounds.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Incorporate milk, ground lavender, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Add purple gel food coloring if desired and mix to combine.
10 - Once cookies have cooled completely, spread a generous layer of lavender buttercream over each cookie. Garnish with a pinch of culinary lavender buds for an elegant finish.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The earthy matcha balances the sweet frosting like they were always meant to be together
- These cookies look impossibly fancy but require zero special decorating skills
- They keep beautifully for days, somehow tasting even better on day three
02 -
- Matcha can turn bitter if you bake it too long, so pull those cookies out when they still look slightly underdone
- Lavender is powerful, and I once made frosting so strong it tasted like perfume, measure carefully
- These cookies continue cooking on the hot baking sheet, that 3-minute cooling period is crucial
03 -
- Scoop your dough onto a cold baking sheet if your kitchen is particularly warm, this prevents spreading
- Grind lavender with a teaspoon of sugar to prevent it from clumping when you add it to frosting